Real-Life Dragons
by DarkGatomon
Summary: The Digidestined have beaten many Digimon before. But what will they do when they meet something that shouldn't even be in that world? Unfinished.
1. Waking the Dragon

**Dragons**  
by DarkGatomon

Dedicated to Randal

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon: Digital Monsters, or anything relating to it. It is owned by Saban, Toei, FoxKids, and/or Bandai and other people or corporations. I do not claim to own Digimon: Digital Monsters or the characters thereof. I do, however, own the ideas included in this story.

Note: This story takes place near the end of 01. The kids have defeated the Dark Masters, but haven't found Apoclymon yet. The world looks just the way it used to, though, and all of their Digimon friends are still around. *sweatdrops* A bit of an AU, you might say.

"Well, _that_ was fun," commented Joe sarcastically, "but what do we do now?"

"We could always try walking back down the mountain." Matt pointed out the inevitable solution. "Which is likely to be just as much fun as walking up." They had climbed to the top of an incredibly tall mountain in order to get their bearings, but hadn't found anything that would help them at all. Just forest, desert, lakes and rivers, some sort of tundra, and what looked startling like a grassy meadow.

"I didn't know there were meadows in the Digiworld," commented Sora.

"That would be a bizarre phenomenon," pointed out Izzy. "After all, there are plenty of them on Earth, and this is its shadow world, so..."

Tai groaned, cutting him off. "Couldn't you just say, 'of course there are'? We don't need to know the science behind meadows." Izzy looked slightly hurt.

Mimi walked over to the edge. "It's so pretty!"

"Yeah, it is, isn't it?" said Sora, smiling.

"Why don't we go there next?" suggested Kari.

Tai looked at his sister and shrugged. "I don't see why not. That's as good a direction as any." They started picking their way down the steep, pathless slope.

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Deep inside the forest, a dark form was awakening. It stood up and walked over to the lake for a drink. The cold blue waters reflected its body: huge and bulking, with colossal wings with a sharp talon at each tip, strong legs, many-clawed feet, and a long tail, all covered with dark green scales that blended perfectly with the trees around him. He crouched before leaping through the canopy and gliding off through the sky to begin the day's hunting.

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"This mountain seems even bigger going down," complained T.K. as he barely avoided tripping over a rock. The others were in complete agreement. Even Joe, who was the best at mountain climbing, was having a hard time.

"I think we should take a break," Tai suggested, watching his weary friends.

"Good idea," agreed Sora as everybody sat down.

"Look on the bright side," suggested Tai with a smile. "No path means no evil Digimon to use it, right?"

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A dark form stirred in its chamber under the mountain. It raised its mighty head, listening for the noise that had awakened it from its slumber. There it was again. Footsteps, voices. He smiled wickedly. Right above his doorstep, too. This wasn't an opportunity to be wasted. He stood up, tucking his long wings neatly against his back.

He thrashed out his tail, hitting a button that was hidden in the rock wall. A rapidly widening crack appeared in front of him as the rock split in two, sliding noisily back into the wall. He walked forward a few steps until he was in open air, then spread his great wings and took flight. He wheeled easily around from the shadowy side of the mountain to the light. The sunlight shone on his leathery skin, which was black with streaks of red, making it look like dark fire. Unlike the green creature, his tail split near the end, ending in twin red flames. He turned and flew unerringly to his prey.

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The giant green creature had decided to hunt by the mountain today, having temporarily exhausted the prey in the nearby forest. He grinned. They always came back pretty quickly, anyhow.

As he neared the mountain, he slowed and began a long, graceful arc that would carry him around the peak. As he scanned the mountain, he saw something. _Somethings_ to be exact. He beat his mighty wings and zoomed straight toward his prey.

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The group looked up at a startled cry from T.K. "Look!" There, off to the right, was a huge dark green beast, heading straight for them.

"Oh, no," cried Kari, point to a second, black and red beast that was closing in from the left. Trapped on side of the mountain, they would have no chance to run or hide. They had only one choice: they would have to fight.

Izzy had already opened his laptop, and was activating the Digimon analyzer. "It can't be..."

"Well? What are they?" demanded Matt.

"Well, that one's Dracomon, but the other one... the other one isn't in here." He looked up at the hulking beast. "That's not a Digimon."

"What else could it be?" asked Joe, his panic showing clearly through his voice.

Izzy gulped. "A nachash."

"A WHAT?" demanded Tai.

Izzy's voice was a whisper. "Dragon..."


	2. Fight or Flight

_Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon: Digital Monsters, or anything relating to it. It is owned by Saban, Toei, FoxKids, and/or Bandai and other people or corporations. I do not claim to own Digimon: Digital Monsters or the characters thereof. I do, however, own the ideas included in this story. You know the drill.  
Now on with the story!_

Tai spun around to glare at Izzy, his fists automatically raised in an aggressive position, in expectation of an imminent fight. "This isn't the time for games, Izzy! I'm not an idiot; dragons aren't real. What the heck is that thing?!"

Izzy, who had been sitting on the ground to access his laptop, seemed to snap back from whatever frozen horror he'd been in. He leapt to his feet, his fists raised. "I'm not lying! That thing isn't in the Digimon analyzer, therefor it isn't a Digimon." He gestured to his laptop for emphasis. "The analyzer scans the data that the Digimon represent. It can only scan Digimon, not other beings. Since it's not getting a response for that creature, it can't be a Digimon! And look at that thing! What can it be other than a dragon?" Indeed, both creatures looked like perfect examples of modern dragons: sleek, powerful, elegant, with taloned wings and deadly-sharp claws.

Matt, surprisingly, was the one that broke up the argument. "It doesn't matter what they are! We just need to know what they can do, and what they're doing. Well, Izzy?"

Izzy snatched up his laptop and accessed the appropriate file. A large picture of the forest-green dragon appeared. "That's Dracomon, guys," Izzy announced. "He's a predatory Digimon. He has a fiery attack called Dragon's Flame, which comes in handy since he's fond of barbecue. Bad news, guys," he looked up, "that's another Mega Digimon."

"Sounds like a party," muttered Matt.

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There was only one reason that the Digidestined were still able to talk about the dragons, or anything for that matter: Both colossal creatures were in shock. Due to circumstance, they had never seen each other before. The black dragon was nocturnal, normally, while the green Digimon hunted by day. They'd certainly never been in direct competition before. In fact, neither had ever encountered anything big enough to be able to possibly cheat them of their prey. However, their shock did not last long.

"They're mine," whispered the green Digimon in his deep voice.

"I don't think so," answered the black and red dragon.

"You want to fight me?" the Digimon asked, making it clear that that was _not_ something you wanted to do.

The dark wings flapped three slow times, in complete silence. Then, "You might want to reconsider whether _you_ want to fight _me_. I am the ruler of this mountain, and no Digimon," and the term was delivered as a deadly insult, "will ever take it from me. Especially not one the likes of you."

The Digimon screeched insult at that, then roared in an earsplitting tone, "I am Dracomon! None shall stand in my way! Dragon's Flame!" A torrent of brilliant orange fire flooded from his mouth at his adversary.

"Oh, no you don't," cried the dragon, and with a roar of anger blocked the attack with his own red flame.

"They'll destroy each other!" cried Sora.

"You don't hear any complaints from me," agreed Matt.

"This is incredible," breathed Izzy with awe in his voice.

The wall of orange fire was advancing on the black dragon, the green growling in triumph. Then, before the other could react, the dragon swung his twin-flamed tail, lashing his enemy's side with it like a whip. The Digimon roared in pain, and, stopping his fire breath, sped directly at the dragon. At the last possible moment, he turned aside, his taloned wingtip sliding along the dragon's side, leaving an ugly gash.

"Call me a worry-wart, but a think it would be a good idea to get out of here," said Joe.

Izzy slipped his laptop into its carrying case. "I think that would be a favorable course of action. Our Digimon are fatigued from our trek up the mountain and could be unable to defeat a Mega Digimon and an unknown quantity."

"Then let's go," urged Sora as the dragon rammed the Digimon, sending it reeling into the mountain side only a few yards from where they were standing.

The Digidestined ran down the mountain side, trying to put as much distance from the battling creatures are they could. Both dragons were far too involved in the fight to even notice that they had left.


	3. As much Fun as a Meadow is...

_Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon: Digital Monsters, or anything relating to it. It is owned by Saban, Toei, FoxKids, and/or Bandai and other people or corporations. I do not claim to own Digimon: Digital Monsters or the characters thereof. I do, however, own the ideas included in this story. You know the drill.  
Now on with the story!_

"Honestly, I don't see what's so great about a stupid old meadow," complained Tai as they tramped through the edge of the woods that separated the meadow from the mountain. "In here we'd have shelter from the rain, and... and..." his argument trailed off as he noticed that the three girls were staring at him: Kari had a pleading look in her eyes, Sora was glaring at him, and Mimi's expression said quite clearly that she'd be more than happy to fight him. Or, at least, scream. "Fine, fine..."

Matt laughed. "Wow, Mr. Know-it-all Leader is getting bossed around by his baby sister!"

Tai said nothing in return, but treated Matt to a glare -- the direct effect of which being that he ran headlong into a tree while he wasn't looking. Trying to ignore the group's laughter, he kept walking and tried not to rub the side of his face where it had gotten scratched by the tree.

Izzy was the one to change the subject. After examining a leaf plucked from one of the tall trees overhead, he remarked, "You know, I don't think we're going to have to worry about rain too much. From the structure of these leaves, I'd say this area doesn't usually get too much rain. And even with that, they're still pretty dehydrated."

"Not to mention," pointed out Kari, "that there isn't a cloud in the sky right now." She winked at the other kids. "Or, as Izzy would say, the meteorological conditions are not favorable to the de-localization of liquid precipitation."

"Precisely!" Izzy praised, causing Tai, Matt, and the others to break out in laughter again.

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A few hours later, they all would have been glad for a laugh. They had trekked aways into the meadow, until the girls had said that it "felt" like it was as pretty there as it was going to get, and spent awhile just enjoying the sunshine, flowers, butterflies, and time off from "Digidestineding." When the novelty wore off, though, it wore off fast. The sunlight, which had been so pleasant during the day, disappeared rapidly, and without the protection of a cave or forest, it got cold faster than they had expected. They didn't dare light a fire, either, because they could easily set the entire region ablaze -- including themselves, if they were unlucky enough to be asleep at the time. To make it worse, it was now too dark and too far to be able to make it back to the forest to sleep.

Tai tried to put a cheerful face on things, though, as always. "Well, this'll be great! Sleeping out under the stars, just us and our Digimon, with this soft grass for a bed... Much better than being in a mucky old forest, with all those sticks and rocks... Ugh!"

Noone believed that he meant that, but even so it cheered them up somewhat. TK even ventured the comment that if they snuggled up close to their Digimon, they wouldn't be cold at all!

"And I'll be nice, too, and not steal your fur, Gabumon!" joked Mimi with a wink. Gabumon just blushed and stammered.

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Despite his outward show of enthusiasm, Tai was less than happy with sleeping arrangements. Or any of the arrangements at all, really. They were out in the open, with no shelter from the weather and the cold, still without such basic supplies as blankets or anything more advanced than a rock to cook with, nothing to carry water with... He lay down and suppressed a wince as the dried grass cut into his arms and legs. Yeah, _so_ much better than sleeping somewhere warm and safe.

But he was leader. Of course, if he'd known about all the responsibilities, the soul-wrenching fears, the horrifying thought that lives depending on each and every one of his decisions... Not only the lives of his friends... and family... but also the lives of countless strangers. The fact that they weren't human didn't make the prospect of making a mistake, failing somehow, sometime, even just once, that would sentence other beings to death, either by his own commands or by his failure to save them...

Those were all thoughts for later, though. Now he had keep up his cheery face, his optimistic demeanor. Even in the wilderness, there was no solitude.

Tai smoothed back his bushy hair, and settled back to sleep for the night. His last conscious thought was if a Digimon finally did kill them all off, at least he wouldn't have to worry about any of this anymore...


	4. The Next Morning

_Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon: Digital Monsters, or anything relating to it. It is owned by Saban, Toei, FoxKids, and/or Bandai and other people or corporations. I do not claim to own Digimon: Digital Monsters or the characters thereof. I do, however, own the ideas included in this story. You know the drill._

Morning broke in the meadow, clear, calm, and unheralded. The Digidestined slept on, still tired from a night of scant slumber, unconcerned by the sun's gentle early rays.

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Dawn creeped later into the shadowy depths of the forest. Dracomon, too, had had a restless night, silently cursing at his sharp eyes still failed to pierce the gloom of a midnight. As morning came, he was there, waiting, waiting for the first beam of light to glint on his shadowy pool, signaling the new-come day. Already, birds chirped uncertainly in the trees, but he paid them no mind. He knew what he was after.

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Matt woke up, yawning. He stretched and instantly became aware of a million tiny pricks, and several aching places that clearly indicated rocks. Sitting up, he took his customary look around and the kids lying by their Digimon -- there was TK, holding onto Patamon with Gabumon behind; Sora and Mimi, curled up back-to-back; Tai, holding onto Kari tightly; Izzy, who seemed to have made himself a sort of nest; Joe, who, by his crumpled posture, had fallen asleep while trying to keep watch; Biyomon, staring frowningly at the dark green shape wheeling in the sky above them...

Waitaminute...

"Tai! Sora! Joe! Everyone, **get up!**"

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Revenge was not a mindset that Dracomon normally indulged in. Or, for that matter, had reason to desire. But, then, he just as normally didn't even consider pausing to think about the prospect of another creature that could harm him as much as a scratch -- not to mention get away with it at the end.

But revenge on that creature could wait for later.

For now, his goal was the ones that had caused this ruckus in the first place...

Even with that, though, there was no true hurry, despite his eagerness...

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TK whimpered. "He's getting closer..."

"Don't worry, TK, we can handle him!" reassured Matt.

"Yeah! Lil' ol' Boogie Man'll never stop us!"

Agumon, digivolve to...

"We can do it!"

Gabumon, digivolve to...

The green dragon wheeled closer.

Biyomon, digivolve to...

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"Come, now," the monstrous creature reprimanded, "there's no need for a fight quite yet -- or, indeed, at all."

Tai responded belligerently. "Uh-huh. You just dropped by to wish us a good day, and a pleasant morrow, is that it?"

The great Digimon laughed dryly. "No, indeed. I wouldn't, however, mind a little chat, over that figural cup of tea, if you'd please."

"And if we wouldn't?"

Dracomon gave them a considering glance. "By the looks of you, I'd dare say you'd insist upon a fight." He sighed, an action that blew their hair back, and sent the grass rippling like a wave, throwing flower petals to the air.

"There's no harm in talking, Tai," interjected Izzy.

"Yeah, we might as well," agreed Sora.

"Okay, fine. We'll do it your way." Tai continued without lessening the irritation in his voice. "What do you want? Unless you just came here to talk about the weather."

A silent moment started, then continued growing. Finally, Dracomon's hushed voice whispered three words...

"Who are you?"


End file.
